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Community development director reports housing‑rehab progress, contractor shortfall and federal funding outlook
Summary
Director Barbie Brewer Watson told the committee Aug. 4 that 41 housing rehabilitation projects are active, wait lists remain high and the department is recruiting lead‑abatement contractors; federal funding timelines for Healthy Homes and lead programs remain uncertain but CDBG funding was reported as allocated for the year.
Barbie Brewer Watson, director of community development, told the Kankakee City Council Community Development Committee on Aug. 4, 2025, that the department has 41 housing rehabilitation projects under its programs, continuing work on lead abatement and Healthy Homes projects while facing a limited pool of qualified contractors.
"We have 41 projects in total," Director Brewer Watson said, adding that the department completed eight projects since May. She reported a general wait list of 199 people and said the lead program alone still has about 101 people on its wait list.
Brewer Watson said the department shares licensed lead‑abatement contractors with the city of Peoria and is actively recruiting statewide. She said 12 lead projects are in process and that the department recently qualified one…
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